voting day

I voted! My polling place just happens to be my local library, which meant that I could pick up some audiobooks and holds at the same time. Very nice.

Sadly Chicago does not give out cute stickers, just "ballot receipts." I did, however, get to vote using two seriously oversized paper ballots, which I fed into a ballot reading machine. A surprisingly satisfying experience, especially since the scanner makes a dramatic noise as it accepts your ballots and sucks them in.

Even if you're not a fan of the big two, many states have important congressional races and referenda (oh, how I wish I could "vote no twice" in my home state of Minnesota).

--------------------------------------------------------

 I've been knitting up a storm the past couple of months, but seem to be lacking in follow-through.

 A shawlette and scarf to block....

wee little cardigans in want of buttons...

and another cardigan on the needles for me. This time it's Drops pattern no. 113-17 in a lovely heather shade of Cascade 220. I'm done up to the underarms -- time to get to work on the sleeves before my momentum dissipates.

--------------------------------------------------------

Moxie is fluffing up quite nicely for the winter. Paul has nicknamed her "Captain Crochet" for her fascination with handmade afghans.

--------------------------------------------------------

in the kitchen

I made a rather amazing looking chicken en croute the other night. I'd like to tweak the leek and bacon stuffing, as it was a little bland, but I'll share the recipe once it's perfected. This is really fun to serve to guests.

Martha Stewart's amazing recipe for giant ginger cookies is always a hit. I recommend slightly underbaking them to keep them nice and chewy!

pumpkin season

We've had a spectacular autumn here in Chicago. Walking around campus has been beautiful.

Chicago autumns don't usual have as much flash and color as places like Door County or the North Shore of Lake Superior, but this has been a good year.

--------------------------------------

The fruits of our labor at a pumpkin carving party last weekend -- mine is the smirking Jack O' Lantern second from the right. Some people got really fancy, but I like to wing it!

--------------------------------------

in the kitchen

Comfort food and autumnal spices are just the ticket with our cool temperatures here in Chicago. Chicken Fennel Lemon Rice Soup is simmering away in my crockpot as I type, and we've been munching on some yummy pumpkin cookies for the last few days.

(Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free) Pumpkin Cookies

1/4 C. pumpkin puree (canned is fine)
1/2 C. almond butter (or any natural nut butter) (I like the "grind your own" from Whole Foods since it isn't separated)
1/2 C. honey
1 tsp. vanilla 
1 C. almond meal/flour (available at Trader Joe's)
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/3 C. dark chocolate chips  (I use Whole Foods vegan)
1/3 C. dried cranberries 
1/2 C. chopped walnuts or pecans

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

- Combine all wet ingredients together, then add the dry ingredients and combine thoroughly. 

- Scoop batter to whatever size you'd like. Flatten them out to the desired thickness becuase these do not spread on their own. 

- Bake ~ 10-15 minutes, according to thickness.

- Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.

postcards from Door County

Paul and I just spent a week up north in Wisconsin's beautiful Door County, where we did things like go for drives amidst the fall colors,

 visit lighthouses, including the Sherwood Point Lighthouse in Idlewild,

hike many state parks (might as well get the good out of our annual WI state parks pass!), like Whitefish Dunes, where we climbed "Old Baldy," the tallest sand dune in the state,

and taste my first fish boil (delicious!).

I just may have finished up (and worn!) my Shalder cardigan. The trip was amazing -- as nice as Chicago is, I really miss the great outdoors. Wisconsin still feels like home in many ways.

More knitting photos soon, I promise.

afternoon tea

 

Mmm... French apple cake for tea today. I couldn't resist adding a dash of cardamom and a dash of nutmeg to the cinnamon-sugar topping when I was baking.

-------------------------------------------

Toggle buttons have been procured for my Shalder cardigan. The pickings were awfully slim at my fabric store, and shopping for buttons online is a soul-crushing endeavor. These are La Mode style no. 29442 (hook 608).

Here's a vague idea how they'll look sewn on:

My cardigans are almost always worn open, so the buttons probably won't see much actual use.

-------------------------------------------

My owl baby vest pattern is now available en español, by the way! Muchas gracias to Cecilia, aka wenlita, for the translation.

home stretch

Shalder is almost done! I picked it up last week after letting it languish for over a year, so this feels like kind of a miracle.

Last year I bailed in the midst of the lace pattern on the yoke, which is admittedly kind of complex and requires undivided attention, at a point when the whole weight of this bottom-up sweater awkwardly fills up your entire lap. This is my first adult bottom-up sweater, and while I like not being stuck on sleeve island at the end, wrestling with attaching the sleeves and doing the yoke can be a challenge.

Now to graft the underarms, block, and add some buttons!

---------------------------------------

in the kitchen

- chicken and brie sandwich with roasted cherry tomatoes, a perennial favorite chez moi

- French apple cake, a new autumnal favorite

---------------------------------------

 Moxie, enjoying some fresh air on our sun porch

wee little cardi + garden goodness

Another FO! This sweet little cardi languished in my knitting basket, patiently waiting for its (lone) button for months.

pattern: Mignon, by Loop London

yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK, 2.2 skeins

needles: US 4 (3.5 mm) Clover circs

size: 3-6 months

my ravelry project page

notes:
The cables were fun to work (as most cables are), and the knitting part of this project went very quickly! I recommend the pattern, but be aware that this is definitely a cropped length. It would look lovely over a full little floral dress, but rather odd with jeggings.

--------------------------------------

I managed to capture Sugar mid-sneeze. Sugar, like most cats apparently, is drawn to crochet; she has staked a claim on this afghan on the sofa. Moxie, on the other hand, has claimed the ivory diagonal box-stitch afghan for herself.

--------------------------------------

I tried something new for dinner -- 15-minute creamy avocado pasta. Yum! Very rich and creamy, indeed. I used basil, but also a little parsley, and I topped it with halved cherry tomatoes. It's kind of like a guacamole-pesto hybrid. Next time I'd reserve some cooking water from the pasta to thin it out a bit.

-------------------------------------------

I'm dying to tackle another crochet project, maybe this retro circle afghan (inspired by a post by one sheepish girl, a new-to-me blog that I'm really enjoying), but I don't have enough yarn that would work, and I'm trying to work from the stash these days.

On the knitting side of things, I'd like to cast on for this cute chunky star blanket from Pickles. And a Whisper or Wispy cardigan (inspired by barefoot rooster breaking hers out for the season), though I haven't yet figured out which pattern to use. Apparently Wispy is a revised version, with some modifications and additional sizes. That probably bodes well, but do I really want to shell out more $ for the new version when I still have the old issue of Interweave?

Before I cast on for another cardi, though, I MUST knit the last sleeve for Aidez and seam that bad boy together, as well as finish up my Shalder. I have visions of snuggling up in my beautiful Aidez while sipping coffee out on the dock amidst the fall colors while we're in Door County next month. We're staying in this cute cottage:

on this lovely island:

I cannot wait!

delicious autumn

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.

-- George Eliot

With September has come a hankering for autumnal flavors. Mmm... I whipped up a batch of my favorite pumpkin chocolate chip squares last night, and they are just as delicious as I remembered. I've tried a few different brands of canned pumpkin, and Libby canned pumpkin seems to yield the best results. The pricey organic pumpkin from Whole Foods is a dud, both in terms of texture and flavor. I've tried making my own pumpkin puree in the past, but it's labor-intensive, and the texture is unpredictable for baking (but great for soups).

--------------------------------------

The temperature has been dropping at night, and I've been waking up to a snuggly marmalade tabby perched atop my chest. Delightful! Taking in Sugar and Moxie is one of the best decisions we've ever made.

Moxie is modeling my latest granny star afghan (pre-washing and blocking, of course). I'm still not tired of the pattern! This time I used Knit Picks Simply Cotton, which washes much better than CottonTots and doesn't produce quite as much fluffy residue. 

pattern: Granny Star Afghan

hook: Clover Soft Touch G (4.0 mm) 

yarn: Knit Picks Simply Cotton Worsted

3 skeins green tea heather, 2 skeins marshmallow

my Ravelry project page

Notes:
So much fun to make! I did a single crochet border this time, and it made for a nice finishing touch.

As with the other ones I've made, the pattern required a little tweaking to make the star shape work. I skipped working a 2 DC “cluster” at the inner angles of the star.

bigger on the inside

I *finally* picked up 311 stitches for the TARDIS section of Bigger on the Inside. Definitely not my favorite task, but now that I'm knitting the charted pattern I'm happy as a clam. Despite fingering weight yarn and size 3 needles, it seems like it's going to be big! Also, here's my new-to-me antique chair. Still deciding where to put it!

----------------------------------------------

Wow, is it different having young, spry kitties again! When you walk into the kitchen, you see things like this:

 Which means that someone most definitely jumped on my counters to get up there. Naughty kitty!

Even with the frisky young ones, there's still plenty of naptime. Everyone is settling in quite nicely, although Moxie (the marmalade tabby) hasn't really warmed to Paul yet.

good things for September

Back from a wonderfully long, relaxing weekend, with good things to share:

thing 1

 Sugar, age 3

thing 2

Moxie, age 6

Two lovely kitties have come to live with us, and they're adorable and hilarious. Moxie is still a little nervous around Paul (she seems to be a lady's cat); Sugar's already a lap cat and diligent houseplant excavator. Wow, do they have a lot of energy! The house just didn't feel right without kitties underfoot.

-------------------------------------------------------

The Avett Brothers' new album, The Carpenter, is streaming in its entirety for free now at NPR.

a new leaf

Thank you for all the kind words about Capricha. They really warmed my heart during a really crummy month. 

The prospect of fall has me so excited that I'm actually knitting socks again (and drinking hot tea, despite the 90+ degree temps)! Basic 64-stitch afterthought heel -- no fancy pattern, but I love the yarn, Madelinetosh sock in turquoise (frogged from an old lacy Baktus, for which I had planned unwisely and run out of yarn). The linden tea is amazing and always reminds me of Proust (if only we had madeleines on hand).

This book by Jane Brocket is absolutely charming. It made me want to revisit some of my old favorite books, like Anne of Green Gables, and it also piqued my interest in a few I hadn't read. I've been giving copies to all of my book-loving friends with kids!

------------------------------------------

in the kitchen

I've been cooking a lot lately. I have not, however, been taking good photos of what I've been making:

- a wonderful pesto recipe
- delicious frozen yogurt, made with Greek yogurt

- whole-wheat spaghetti with Italian sausage and fennel recipe from Cook's Illustrated
I didn't have quite enough sausage, so I threw in some pancetta, which was delicious but maybe didn't have enough heft. Next time I'd cut the pasta down to 12 oz. rather than a full pound.

- Trader Joe's canned smoked trout is amazing (I know I'm late to the game on this one!)
I've just been draining it, flaking it, and mixing it with a little bit of mayo, a squeeze of lemon juice, and snipped fresh chives from the garden. Perfect sandwich for weekday lunches!

- Anchovy paste is all new to me! I used it in a spicy red clam sauce the other night, and it really added wonderful complexity and flavor. Plus who doesn't get a kick out of squeezing a mysterious fish paste out of a tube? Reminds me of Scandinavia!

------------------------------------------

Back soon with more knitting photos, I promise. Three projects are blocking on my dining room table as I type this post!

forlorn

We had to say good-bye to our dear, sweet Capricha cat after a battle with cancer. She was a wonderful, good-natured girl right up until the end, and we miss her dreadfully.

Capricha was my constant companion, always greeting me at the front door when I got home. She would writhe around in joy, showing off her belly, seeking attention and petting.

She was a great snuggler, a lover of laps and cozy blankets.

We adopted Kylie and Capricha right after we moved to Chicago, and it seems as if a chapter of my life has ended. Losing both in such rapid succession has been very hard.

rest in peace, my dear girl

not easy being green...

pattern: Classic Baby Blanket, by Rayn Blair

yarn: Knit Picks Simply Cotton Worsted, Green Tea, 6.5 skeins

hook: H / 5.00 mm (Clover Soft Touch)

my Ravelry project page

notes:

Easy pattern! I used a larger hook (J) to make my foundation chain, since mine tend to be too tight. This worked like a charm. The only difficulty was figuring out how to do the scallop edging on the sides. The directions were vague, and I haven't figured out a good formula for where to insert my hook since the sides are kind of loose and floppy and you can't just skip stitches like you do on the ends. Anyone have any suggestions or rules of thumb?

 ---------------------------------------

in the kitchen

zucchini tots ~ recipe here

Paul's boss bestowed us with a bounty of zucchini from her vegetable garden. Yum! I've been trying out a bunch of new recipes as a result.
 
Besides the zucchini tots, another success came from an old church cookbook that belonged to my Grandma Franzie. I love these church cookbooks! Most of mine are from Minnesota from the 1950s through 70s.  The ethnic and foreign foods sections are always terrific and kind of a hoot (so many recipes for lefse and lutefisk!), not to mention all the hot dishes. The coffee cakes are almost always amazing, far better than the grim prospects that lurk within the Starbucks pastry case.

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
1 C. vegetable oil
2 C. sugar
2.5 C. grated zucchini
1 T. vanilla extract
3 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 T. cinnamon
1/2 C. chopped nuts
2/3 C. chocolate chips or chunks (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Beat eggs slightly; add oil, sugar, vanilla, and zucchini. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Add nuts to dry ingredients. Make an indentation in the center of the dry ingredients; mix in the wet ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips (if using). Pour batter in two greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 min.

Do you have any favorite zucchini recipes? I still have a giant zucchini sitting on the kitchen counter.

leafy

Thanks to Rue, I had just enough yarn to finish the bind-off on my live oak shawlette! This was a lovely pattern to knit, and the Tosh Merino Light yarn is a dream. Very soft, single ply, with so many wonderful gradations in color.

pattern: Live Oak Shawlette, by Rosemary (Romi) Hill

yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light, ginger, 1.2 skeins

needles: US 5 Harmony circs

my ravelry project page

notes:

While I loved the feel of the project while I was knitting it, post-blocking it seemed a little too drapey. Next time I'd use a smaller needle with this yarn, just to give it a touch more body. Pinning out each little leafy bit is a bit of a pain, but the fluttery effect on the edge is an elegant touch. Wonderful yarn, very clear pattern.

--------------------------------------------

in the kitchen

~ This bacon-and-tomato guacamole is amazing. No surprise, since Rick Bayless is pretty much a culinary genius.

~ Avocado basil pasta was a huge hit last night. Yum! Wonderful way to use the bounty of basil from my garden.

~ What's better than a piña colada popsicle on a hot summer's day? These aren't too sweet, and they're jam-packed with fruit.

--------------------------------------------

around town

~ listening to Andrew Bird and Wilco at Elfstrom Stadium in Geneva, Illinois (what a terrific show and a great way to spend a summer afternoon!)

~ visiting a new-to-me yarn shop in St. Charles -- Wool and Company (they had some great yarns that I haven't seen in the city)